Matt Lauer did consider leaving his longtime perch as anchor of “Today,” but once he decided to stay, the deal was done in 36 hours.

The NBC host and his colleagues reveal how last week’s reported $25 million four-year deal was completed in this week’s Hollywood Reporter.

With Lauer’s current contract set to expire in December, there was rampant speculation that he would leave “Today.”

CBS News chairman Jeff Fager told THR that he would create a job for Lauer on 60 Minutes. And Lauer himself reveals that he did consider reteaming with Katie Couric on her new talk show.

Couric had reached out to him and told THR, “The opportunity for us to team up again would have been really exciting.”

Lauer confirms that he entertained the possibility, saying “I wasn’t just wasting time. There’s no crime in listening.”

But, on April 4 he called NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke to tell him he decided to stay. Thirty-six hours later, the deal was done.

“The only question was whether he wanted to continue to do the job and everything that it demands. That’s all that had to be decided,” said NBC News president Steve Capus.

Capus added that there was no haggling and ver little negotiation.

“His is a unique situation. We mutually agreed to something awfully fast.”

Although Lauer was unsure whether he wanted to continue to make the lifestyle sacrifices that come from having to wake up before dawn, he repeatedly indicates that it would have been tough to leave a job he loves.

“It’s impossible to leave. I knew it was going to be hard even as I was contemplating it,” he said. “And in the end, if you love what you do and you love the people you do it with, why throw things up in the air for something that could be much less satisfying and less rewarding?”

Lauer and Capus also defend his chemistry with co-anchor Ann Curry, whom The Post speculated could be on her way out after Lauer re-upped with “Today.”